Doctors’ industrial action has limited effect at Great Western Hospital

Yesterday’s industrial action by doctors had a limited effect at the Great Western Hospital, the Swindon hospital that cares for patients in the Marlborough area. Only 51 doctors were involved. “That equates to 12 per cent of doctors in the NHS Trust,” spokeswoman Rachael Lee told Marlborough News Online. “And 2.9 per cent of outpatient appointments were cancelled out of the 1,435 outpatient appointments that usually take place on Thursdays.” Ten per cent of diagnostics operations — less invasive surgery which does not require an anaesthetic – were cancelled, the normal number of patients undergoing this type of procedure on an average Thursday being 30. Of the average number of 64 elective operations that take place — such as hip replacements – 18 per cent did not go ahead.